The already-slim chances of the Bears resurrecting a stadium deal in Illinois are essentially dead as the NFL team said its developing plans in neighboring Indiana are its “sole focus.”
The Bears had already been gravitating heavily toward building a $5 billion domed stadium and mixed-use development in Hammond, Indiana, and the team’s board of directors voted in June to advance the plans there. As Indiana Gov. Mike Braun subsequently said the state’s deal with the Bears was “in the red zone,” franchise leaders confirmed Thursday that only “minimal” conversations with Illinois officials have happened since the Prairie State failed to advance stadium legislation more than two months ago.
“I don’t know why it hit a dead end in Springfield but we’ve been very clear the last couple of years the things that we’ve always needed is property tax certainty, we need infrastructure certainty, that’s what we need. So that has not changed,” said Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren.
The Bears are now evaluating two different stadium site options in Hammond, though there is a possibility that both locations will be used in some way.
“Our sole focus at this point in time is working on a world-class stadium and mixed-use development in Hammond, Indiana,” Warren said.
Despite that assertion, Illinois leaders still believe there is still some element of hope that the Bears will stay in the state—particularly as there is still no definitive, signed agreement in Indiana. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, however, continued to put the onus on the team.
“Part of the Bears’ job here is, of course, to talk to legislators. There were legislators who voted in favor of one or the other of the [stadium] bills,” Pritzker said. “We passed a bill in the House. We passed a bill in the Senate. Those bills were not combined. … There was no compromise reached between the two bills, but the Bears themselves have to figure out which ones of the parts of those bills they want in a final bill, and of course, to gather support from the legislature.”
That does not appear to be happening. Regarding Illinois, Bears chairman George McCaskey said, “Hope is not a strategy.”
Naming Matters
The team, meanwhile, said it will remain known as the Chicago Bears, even if the Hammond development happens. That locale is about 20 miles from downtown Chicago, and is closer to Soldier Field than the Arlington Heights, Illinois, parcel that had been under consideration.
“When I’ve driven that route [to Hammond], other than a sign telling me so, I wouldn’t know that I’ve just crossed the state border,” McCaskey said. “Once people see the building, once they get in there, once they understand our top priority from day one was a world-class stadium experience, we think we’ll make that adjustment. We think Bears fans are up for that.”
Indiana legislators passed a bill in February to cover about 60% of the stadium’s development costs.
